Secrets To My Heart
by Lenneia
Summary: [ Talim x Yunsung ] The love they had hidden from each other... the love that never came to be.


Secrets To My Heart A Talim x Yunsung Fanfiction  
  
The ornate glass windows of the Ostrheinsburg Chapel were brilliantly illuminated. Beams from the afternoon sun permeated the air in the vast room. The ancient chapel was devoid of any sign of human life, with the exception of a solitary figure, rather short in stature. She stood in the middle of the room, kicking softly at the dust around her dainty green shoes.  
  
The young girl had dark hair, tinged with the slightest midnight- blue, that framed her round face, the majority of the silken strands secured by golden clasps into twin pigtails behind her ears. She was donned in comfortable attire – her usual olive-colored and white ensemble, an intricate golden pendant hanging from her neck. Clasped within her slender hands were dual elbow blades, Syi Sarika and Loka Luha, the beloved weapons that had aided and protected her through numerous battles. This energetic girl's name was Talim, a wind priestess of her village in Southeast Asia.  
  
She lifted her gaze from the worn stones at her feet and stared at the circular window set in the opposite wall high above her. Unwillingly, her mind drifted to the young Korean man with the stunningly beautiful crimson hair. His name, Talim knew, was Yunsung, and she had spoken to him several times, though they had never fought one another. Since she had first met him, she had become good friends with him, and now she was undoubtedly in love with him. Yet she didn't have the courage to tell him so, for she feared that his feelings for her would differ.  
  
Besides, on a number of occasions, she had seen him with Seung Mina, another person she knew was searching for Soul Edge. He had been laughing and talking with her, and, more than once, Talim had seen Seung Mina hold his hand or wrap her arms around him as though they were intimate lovers. What hurt Talim most was that Yunsung never pushed her away or tried to disengage their hands. And for that, she almost hated him.  
  
Now, she was at the chapel, waiting for him. Rumors had circulated that Yunsung was going to challenge Inferno this very day in order to claim Soul Edge, the Sword of Salvation in his country. Talim knew of the potential dangers and wanted to stop him before –  
  
"Talim? Is that you?"  
  
At the sudden interruption, she broke from her reverie and whipped around. Her chestnut-infused oculi transfixed upon the masculine form, clad in orange and white, walking toward her. Yunsung! Her heart pounded furiously at the sight of him, and she could only watch speechlessly as he came up to her. Her eyes darted to the sword in his right hand, the White Storm that Seung Mina had given him, then back to Yunsung's grinning face.  
  
"Well," he said as he stopped at about five feet from her, "I didn't really expect to see you here. What're you up to?"  
  
Talim was at a loss for words. Her grip on her weapons tightened as she regarded him for another moment, contemplating on exactly what she should say. "I... I'm here to stop you from going any further," she managed. Her voice sounded strange and unfamiliar to her ears.  
  
The grin that had previously occupied Yunsung's expression diminished into a serious mien. "You know I have to get that sword. Hwang may not have been able to obtain it, but I know I can."  
  
Talim's face held a look of worry and utter disbelief. "Yunsung, you can't. Please, try to understand. No one has been able to–"  
  
"Talim, do you not believe in me? I have known you for so long now, and I've developed feelings for you—something I've never felt for anyone else. I've come this far, and I'm not backing down, even if I have to fight you." Yunsung's determined face held Talim's own, and she couldn't break away, as much as she had wanted to.  
  
At his last remark, every hope Talim had for Yunsung to love her extinguished. In her heart, the world was falling apart, and she felt like a helpless, deserted creature left to die in her misery. Why couldn't he understand?  
  
Yet she knew she had to protect him.  
  
"Yunsung..." Tears formed in her eyes, blurring her vision. He stood, unaltered by the wet trails that had begun to slide down her cheeks, marring her beautiful face... But he knew he couldn't allow his emotions rule over his goal, his destiny.  
  
He raised his sword and pointed the blade at her tear-stricken face. He closed his eyes for a minute, disliking what he was planning to do. When he opened his eyes, Talim had ceased her crying, though her cheeks were still wet. She was eyeing him bitterly, as if she hated him... This left him staring wide-eyed at her, the blade of his sword mirroring Talim's countenance, making him realize the consequences of his decision.  
  
They stood thus for several minutes before Talim raised an elbow blade and knocked his sword away from her face, causing him to stagger back, his grip on White Storm's hilt increased ever so slightly. And then, as if that very action had announced the start of the fight, they charged at each other.  
  
His sword's spirit seemed to take over as he parried Talim's attacks and thrust his sword at her, only to be countered back. Through the next ten minutes, they continued on, neither of them getting ahead of the other. There was a sudden, growing pain in Yunsung's shoulder, but he shrugged it off, trying to defend himself from Talim's merciless strikes. Yet he regretted such a choice, for shortly after, his grip on his sword loosened, and he stumbled back as Talim slashed at his side, provoking blood. He dropped his weapon and watched as the scarlet blood stained his clothes.  
  
He looked to Talim as she dropped her elbow blades, an expression of pure terror and shock possessing her face. Then he felt his knees collapse, and he fell to the hard, stony floor, feeling his life drain away as each second passed.  
  
Talim, with a startled cry, ran to his fallen form, struggling to stop the blood with her hands, though the red liquid slipped out through her fingers. She tried to lift his body and ended up almost dragging his head onto her lap. With one blood-stained hand, she brushed his rubeous hair back from his suddenly pale face, her fingers trembling as she realized what she had done. The blood failed to stop, and a great puddle had begun to form around his side.  
  
"Yunsung...!" Talim cried, the tears choking her until she began sobbing. "Yunsung... oh, what have I done?! Don't leave me..."  
  
Yunsung strained to lift his hand to her cheek, and Talim wrapped her other hand around his. "T-Talim..."  
  
"Yunsung, I'm so sorry! This wasn't supposed to happen...! No one should've gotten hurt!" Tears slid down her cheeks and dripped into Yunsung's clothing and onto his arm. He reached up, gently brushing the tears from her face.  
  
"Don't be sorry, Talim. This is... the way it will be... You know... I have to tell you something. Talim... I love you. I have loved you... and I will always... love you."  
  
Talim sobbed as she took in all he had just said. So it wasn't Seung Mina... he had never really liked her! She held his hand tighter. "Yunsung... I never knew... I thought that it was... someone else... Yunsung, I love you! I have and always will."  
  
He made an attempt to smile, though he was growing weak. "Talim... don't lose. Win this. Win it... for me."  
  
Talim tried to stop crying, and she placed his hand over her heart. "I will. For you. For us." He smiled up at her, the light in his eyes fading. Talim leaned down, and her lips met his, forming a kiss that symbolized the love that they had hidden from each other – the love that never came to be.  
  
As Talim pulled away, Yunsung smiled for one last time. "I love you... Talim." He squeezed her hand lightly and closed his eyes. His breathing stopped; his hand fell limp in hers.  
  
Talim watched him go, a single tear sliding down her cheek for the last time. She would cry no more. She kissed his forehead, whispering, "I love you... Yunsung."  
  
With a shaken sigh, she carefully moved his head onto the stony floor, placing his hands onto his stomach. She reached for White Storm and wrapped the hilt in his hands.  
  
She then stood up slowly, a renewed strength in her heart. Retrieving Syi Sarika and Loka Luha from the floor, she turned to face Inferno. She would do this... for him.  
  
Stepping forward, she proceeded on, engaging Inferno in an intense battle. She fell several times, bruised and bloodied, but rose immediately, fighting for the love she knew. After what seemed like an eternity, Talim dealt the finishing blow to Inferno, ensuing the release of Soul Edge. Her body screamed in pain at her, but she ignored it. She looked at the great malformed sword protruding from the floor in the spot Inferno had been in. She dropped her weapons, clutching at her arm, and turned away.  
  
She limped over to Yunsung's body and fell to her knees by him. "I did it, Yunsung. I did it." The wind itself seemed to have heard her, for a gentle breeze brushed by her lightly, giving her hope for the future. She would fight on... for Yunsung. 


End file.
